Seal-lock



(No Model.)

R. M. SULLY.

SEALVLOGK.

Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M. SULLY, OF PETERSBURQTIRGINIA.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,220, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed February 25, 1890.

.To all whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. SULLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddie and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Seal-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of seallocks for the doors of railroad freight-cars in whichalocking-bolt is secured in such a manner that it cannot be withdrawn to permit unclosing of the car-door until after the mutilation or destruction of the seal in looking engagement with said bolt; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of devices for securely holding alocking-dog in positive engagement with the bolt by means of a gravity-stop while said bolt is engaged with -thc seal, as hereinafter set forth.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a freight-car provided with my improved seal-lock. Fig. 2 represents a partlysectional elevation of the lock with the hasp and bolt engaged with the staple, and showing the position of the lowered bolt and attached tag-seal before the bolt is locked. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the bolt raised and automatically locked. Fig. et represents the lock with the tag-seal mutilated and detached, the bolt raised from its engagement with the staple, and the pivoted lock-case thrown back to restore the locking-dog and its gravitjstop into position to again act for locking the bolt. Fig. 5 is a top view of t-he lock.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the door of a freight-car, and 2 a hasp attached thereto and provided with two or more slots 3, as shown in Fig. 1,so that the sliding door can be fastened either when entirely closed or when not quite closed, if it is desired to leave it partly open for ventilation.

On the locking side of the door-frame 4 is secured a plate 5, provid ed with a staple 6, for engagement with one of the slots in the hasp 2 on the car-door. Above the staple 6 is a vertically-perforated lug 7, through which is passed a locking-bolt S, that is also adapted Serial No. 341,736. (No model.)

to pass downward through the staple 6 and through avertically-perforated lug or keeper 9, located beneath the staple and provided with the usual lateral slits (indicated by dotted lines in Fig. et) that receive a tag-seal 10 in the well-known manner, as shown in Fig. 3, the lower end of the locking-bolt S being provided with the ordinary hook 11 for engaging a perforation 12 in the upper part of the tag-seal, as shown. The upper end of the locking-bolt S is provided with a lateral shoulder or projection 13, by which the bolt is supported and prevented from falling entirely 'through the staple and adjacent lugs. lf desired, the upper end of the locking-bolt may be provided also with a ring 14E, by which the bolt can be conveniently lifted.

The upper end of the plate 5 is formed or provided with a bracket 15 on a level with the top of the lug 7, which may be continuous with and form a part of said bracket, as shown. To the outer end of this bracket is hinged or pivoted a lock-case 16, which is adapted to rest on the front portion of the bracket, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. The rear side of the lock-case 1G is provided with a plate 17, Fig. 5, secured by rivets or other fastenings, and it will be observed that as this plate is located toward and only a short distance from the car-body sufficient space is not afforded for tampering with the fastenings to gain access to the locking mechanism surreptitiously.

Vithin the lock-case 1G is a longitudinallysliding latch orlocking-dog 17,which is adapted to project from one end of the case 16 and become automatically engaged beneath the shoulder 13 of the bolt S when the latter is raised, as shown in Fig. 3, after t-he tag-seal 10 has been attached, thus securing said tagseal between the bolt-hook 11 and slitted keeper and securely locking the bolt, so that it cannot be disengaged from the staple without inutilating the seal. The inner or rear end of the locking-dog 17 is provided with a 9 vertical arm 1S, that extends to or near the top of the case and serves as a bearing for a gravity-stop 19, located within the case 16 and acting to press the dog 17 outward through an opening 2O in the lower forward portion ICS of the case and prevent its return when the lock-case is in a horizontal position.

By referring to Figs. 2, 3, and 4 it willY be seen that the upper portion of the interior of the lock-case is enlarged at one end to afford a recess 21, into which the gravity-stop 19 can roll or slide when the lock-case 16 is tilted back on its pivot 22, as shown in Fig. 4, thus permitting the dog 17 to drop back into the case, in readiness to be projected bythe gravity of the stop or slide '19 into engagement with the shoulder 13 of the bolt S when the lock-case is rst returned to thehorizontal position shown in Fig. 2 and the bolt 8 then raised slightly, as shown in Fig. 3. It will thus be seen that the gravity-stop 19 serves to automatically force the dog 17 into engagement with the bolt 8 and afterward prevents the dog from becoming` disengaged from the bolt as long as the attached seal remains intact. A

Although I have shown the gravity-stop 19 in the form of a ball,it is obvious that it may have any other suitable shape that will adapt itto actuate the locking-dog and to serve as a gravity-stop for holding it in engagement with the bolt.

In order to insure engagement of the dog 17 with the shoulder 13 when the bolt 8 is partly raised after attachment of the seal, as shown in Fig. 3, I prefer to provide' the dog 17 With a stud 23, that is made to project through a slot 24 in the front of the case 16, as shown in Fig. 1, so that in case the gravity-stop 19 should stick in the upper part of the lock-case and not descend readily in actuating contact with the vertical arm 1S of the locking-dog the said dog can be moved into engagement with the bolt by means of said stud 23, at the same time releasing the stop 19 and causing it to drop by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 3, and thereby preventing the dog from moving back.

It will be observed that the walls of the lock-case adjacent to the bolt are extended to cover the sides and the bottom of the projected portion of the locking-dog and form a housing that will prevent the insertion of any small instrument to tamper with the en'-Y gagement of the dog and bolt.

Having thus described the .construction of the lock, I will briefly explain its operation. After the car-door has been closed and the hasp 2 engaged with the staple G, the pivoted locking-case 16 being meanwhile thrown back, as shown in Fig. 4, the bolt S is lowered through the staple and adjacent lugs 7 and 9 and the locking-case is brought into a nearly-horizontal position and engaged with the bolt 8 before the latter is lowered its fullest extent, so that the end of the locking-dog will come in contact with the end of the boltshoulder 13, and the bolt and locking-case will then be lowered together into the position shown in Fig. 2, with the end of the locking-dog bearing on the side of the shoulder 13, but not yet engaged with the bolt.

Vhile in this position the bolt can be still withdrawn, if desired. The seal 10 can now be attached to the bolt. On now slightly raising the bolt 8 the locking-dog 17 is forced beneath and into engagement with the under side of the Shoulder 13 by means of the gravity-stop 19, as shown in Fig. 3, so that by reason of the attached seal and the engagement of the bolt and dog the bolt cannot be moved farther in either an upward or downward direction, but will remain in a deadlock until after the seal has been mutilated or destroyed. Then the seal is broken, the bolt can be raised a sufficient extent, limited by the usual stop 25, topermit the hasp to be disengaged from the staple and allow the car-door to be opened.

The lock can be used with either the ordinary tag-seal shown in the drawings or with the well-known lead seal attached to a wire passed through perforations in the bolt and in one of the confining-lugs, as is common in many forms of seal-locks.

'Vhat I claim as my invention is.-

1. In a seal-lock, the combination, with a bolt, a staple, a hasp, and a seal connected with the bolt, of a pivoted locking-case having an enlarged chamber in its pivoted end, a locking-dog inclosed in said case to engage the bolt, and a gravity-stop movable in the chamber of the locking-case to hold the dog in locking engagement with the bolt when the bolt is in locking engagement with the seal, substantially as described.

2. In a seal-lock for cars, the combination, with a bolt and a seal connected with the bolt, of a plate provided with a staple and perforated lugs to receive the bolt, a lock-case pivoted to said plate, and a dog inclosed in said case and adapted to have a locking engagement with the bolt when the bolt is in locking engagement with the connected seal, substantially as described.

3. In a seal-lock for cars, the combination, 'with a bolt having a shoulder and a seal in locking engagement with said bolt, of a pivoted lock-case, a dog inclosed in said case and adapted to engage the bolt-shoulder, and a gravity-stop to actuate the dog and hold it in locking engagement with the bolt until the seal is broken,substantially as described.

4. In a seal-lock for cars, the combination, with the bolt 8, having a shoulder 13, of the pivoted lock-case 16, having slot 24, the dog 17, inclosed in said case and provided with a stud 23, projecting through said slot, and the gravity-stop 19, for actuating said dog and holding it in locking engagement with the bolt when the bolt is in locking engagement with the connected seal, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT M. SULLY.

Vitnesses:

FRANCIS RIVES FAssITER, ALEXANDER HAMILTON.

IOO

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